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Alzheimer’s, Marijuana, and Ibuprofen

I’ll admit, I tried it once in college. Once. That was enough for me- the very next day, I felt so dumb that I had no desire to try it again! Literally- I felt stupid. Attempting to study didn’t go too well- I couldn’t remember what I had just read! And apparently, that’s a common side effect of marijuana use. So the thought of using marijuana (THC) to alleviate Alzheimer’s symptoms seems pretty far-fetched- the side effects of the marijuana are similar to the symptoms of the disease!

But after careful research, scientists have learned the reason for the unwanted side effects of THC. It causes an increase in levels of an enzyme called COX-2 in the part of the brain involved in learning and memory. And they found that using ibuprofen (an over-the-counter painkiller that happens to inhibit COX-2) minimizes these side effects.

This is important, because if unwanted side effects can be eliminated for patients currently using marijuana for medicinal purposes, it could have a much broader treatment range. It has been shown that mouse models of Alzheimer’s had reduced neuronal damage after THC treatment. What do you think? The use of medical marijuana can be controversial. What are your thoughts?